Railroad Safety (20.301)
Railroad Safety (Assistance Listing 20.301) is run by the Federal Railroad Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $6.3 million in 29 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $218,811 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $70,692. Half of the 29 awards fell between $12,153 and $150,000, and they ranged from $3,829 to $2.4 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$6.3 million
- Grant awards29
- Typical award$70,692
- Awarded in FY 2025$3.4 million
- Size rank1,584 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $945,420 in fiscal 2021 to $3.4 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1584th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 133% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 14 states and territories.
What the program funds
Funding for this program supports the certification of state inspectors to conduct investigative and surveillance activities to ensure that the application and interpretation of federal railroad safety rules, regulations, orders, and standards reflect the same national uniformity.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization States, Local, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education), Other public institution/organization, Profit organization
What the money can and cannot pay for
Railroad Safety initiatives, including: 1) Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grants – to provide funding for local law enforcement activities intended to reduce trespassing on rail rights-of-way. 2) Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grants – for the implementation of railroad trespassing suicide prevention programs. 3) Operation Lifesaver (OLI) – to support administration of public education and awareness programs related to highway-rail grade crossing safety and railroad trespass prevention in the United States, and consists of four tasks: States Assistance Programs, Training and Education Programs, Communications Programs and OLI Program Administration. 4) Security – to establish, develop, and implement plans, procedures, and networks to send and receive security-sensitive or emergency-related information from the Government to rail stakeholders and from rail stakeholders to the Government. 5) American Chemistry Council (Chemtrec and TRANSCAER) – to ass
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
The range was between $150,000 to $1,000,000 and the average was $575,000.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: An on-going project initiated in FY 2022 continued with travel and training for the State in order to maintain compliance with requirements.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Railroad Safety (20.301) awarded $6.3 million across 29 grant awards, an average of $218,811 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 68% of the money, businesses 28% and state and local governments 3.8%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 10 | $5.7 million | 68% |
| Businesses | 1 | $2.4 million | 28% |
| State and local governments | 18 | $312,040 | 3.8% |
By state
1 state has a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. It is District of Columbia.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 12 | $8.0 million |
| California | 3 | $139,019 |
| New York | 2 | $82,718 |
| Florida | 1 | $49,818 |
| Oregon | 1 | $38,737 |
| Washington | 1 | $24,000 |
| Arizona | 1 | $12,719 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $12,615 |
| Alabama | 1 | $12,000 |
| New Jersey | 1 | $9,470 |
| Missouri | 1 | $7,600 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $5,850 |
| Texas | 1 | $5,624 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $506 |